A Happy’s Inn resident is facing a felony charge after the escalation of a neighborhood dispute.

Steven F. Ketchem, 73, was arraigned Monday in Lincoln County District Court on a charge of intimidation. He pleaded not guilty. Ketchem’s first arraignment didn’t happen when he failed to show Oct. 20. Ketchem’s legal counsel, public defender Maury Solomon sought a two-week continuance, citing Ketchem's health matters, and it was granted.

District court wasn’t held last week due to a trial.

Ketchem, who lives on West Camp Road, is accused of multiple acts against the alleged victims between July 21 and Aug. 22.

County sheriff’s deputy Cody DeWitt began an investigation July 21 when a woman called dispatch. She explained that her and her husband live in Marion and bought property on West Camp Road a year ago.

She claimed numerous incidents of Ketchem trespassing on their land, used profanity and yelled at guests and workers on their property. She also claimed Ketchem used dark paint to obscure tree markers placed for the development of the land.

The woman also said they had the property surveyed so they could install a fence to reduce the issues with Ketchem. She said Ketchem removed marker pins and that his shed was on their land. DeWitt asked if they had seen Ketchem doing any of the alleged acts, but they hadn’t. He recommended they install cameras.

A few weeks later, the woman called law enforcement and said Ketchem threatened her family. She explained she filled out a trespass form against him that the deputy gave her. It was served to Ketchem and he allegedly called her husband and left an angry and potentially threatening voicemail. 

The husband called Ketchem back in an attempt to reason with him and calm the disagreement, court documents said. But Ketchem allegedly threatened to kill the man. A few days later, they received a letter via certified mail, postmarked Aug. 1, from Ketchem. The letter was written on Ketchem’s credit card statement. 

He reportedly indicated his anger that he couldn’t buy the property they now own. He also said he’d fight them anytime with guns, knives and fists, the court document said. The woman said she and her children stopped going to the property due to their genuine fear.

DeWitt collected the evidence, including the letter and the voicemail.

He also spoke with the alleged victim and she said they bought property in the area a number of years ago. The recent purchase meant their property surrounded his and he was frustrated he couldn’t buy it.

DeWitt spoke with the woman on Aug. 11 and she said they had a renter in their home and also were renting to people living in recreational vehicles. She said Ketchem confronted some of the renters and he had “run a couple of people off.”

The man told the deputy Ketchem threatened to kill him if he continued with the fence installation. He said Ketchem stated something to the effect of, “if you keep messing with me i’ll shoot ya, cuz I’m too old for this and I’m tired of getting pushed around.”

The husband also told DeWitt he didn’t want to get shot while working on his land. Another person who was a friend to both the alleged victim and Ketchem said the accused was very angry and made comments about shooting the husband. The mutual friend advised the alleged victim to avoid Ketchem.

On Aug. 18, DeWitt spoke to Ketchem about the situation. He said the dispute began after they bought the land and a tenant living there cursed at his grandchildren when they came onto their land. He also said he was unhappy with slashing and burning on their land. Ketchem claimed he was “smoked out” for three days and a fire burned a 10-foot section on his property. He also claimed a guest of the couple ran into his vehicle while drunk.

Ketchem said he supported the fence installation and was concerned with the neighbors piling root wads on the property line and if they decided to burn them.

Deputy DeWitt suggested Ketchem call the sheriff’s office so the situation could be resolved peacefully. Ketchem denied saying he would shoot anyone, but said he would defend himself if the neighbor pulled a gun. He was also upset about the way they were developing their property.

When DeWitt and Ketchem spoke about the neighbor’s claims of him threatening violence, he said, “I didn’t mean I was gonna murder him. All I meant was we’d run you right out of here and send ya back to Lost Prairie wherever ya come from.

“I know I probably shouldn’t have said what I said in the letter but I was a little hot. I won’t do it anymore.”

Ketchem also spoke about issues on the land and issues with the owner of Happy’s Inn and others. He described one incident where someone rode through a corner of his neighbor’s land and fired a gun to scare them.

DeWitt told Ketchem needed to report such incidents. He also said he knew the alleged female victim for a long time and likes her, but he felt her husband comes off too strong and needs to be respectful.

On Aug. 22, the alleged male victim emailed three voicemails to the deputy that Ketchem left on his voicemail.

Ketchem allegedly threatened to sue his neighbors if the survey was wrong, called the neighbor a “chicken s#&* f$#*ing coward and complained about the use of the excavator.

A conviction for felony intimidation may result in a 10-year sentence to Montana State Prison.